Starting a new year in high school isn’t always easy, especially when there are so many new students and teachers to meet! To make this process that much easier and more enjoyable, we’ve broken down 34 of our favorite icebreakers for high school students. Follow along as we unpack a range of methods for getting to know your learners as well as getting them more comfortable with their fellow peers.
Basic Icebreakers
1. Tell Me What You Love
Have each student write down a list of their favorites. This can be anything from their favorite class or sport to their favorite musician or family recipe. Then, collect the lists, read them aloud to your class, and see if they can guess who each list belongs to!
Learn More: Dianne Mason (TPT)
2. Focus on the Favorites
Here’s an awesome icebreaker that doubles as a get-to-know-you activity! Begin by asking one student to name their favorite school subject. Once they’ve told you what it is, they can pose a different question to the next student about one of their favorite things. The goal is to think of new topics to ask about whilst answering the given question as quickly as possible. Here are a couple of topics to get you going: favorite food, favorite color, and favorite animal!
Learn More: Krista Gilbert
3. Experience Bingo
For this activity, prepare a few bingo cards before class. Essentially, your students will spend time walking around the classroom to find someone who fits a certain category. To do so, they’ll need to pose and answer questions- mingling with their peers in the process and potentially making new friends.
Learn More: Paper Trail Design
4. Chain Story
Let’s get creative! Have your learners work together to write a story about the first day of school. Each student will write a sentence, fold the paper so it can’t be seen, and pass it on to the next person. Once everyone’s had a chance to write something, open the piece of paper and get ready to enjoy a giggle or two.
Learn More: The Homeschool Mom
5. Chain Poetry
Discover who has a knack for poetic language with this fun icebreaker. Similar to the above activity, learners will craft a chain poem. Each student will need to write a sentence that rhymes and fits into a category chosen by you.
Learn More: National Writing Project
6. The 6-Word Story
This excellent icebreaker incorporates some creative writing. Each student should write a story using only six words. Once everyone’s developed their story, spend time having everyone share what they wrote.
Learn More: Moving Writers
7. Classroom Scavenger Hunt
Direct students to find a list of items in your classroom or school. Make your clues as specific or general as you like!
Learn More: Dianne Mason (TPT)
Circle Games
8. “I Have Spoken”
Let’s shift gears and explore a few circle games. To kick things off, let’s delve into the, “I have spoken” icebreaker. Position your students in a circle and give each person 20 seconds to say as much, or as little, as they want. Once 20 seconds is up they say, “I have spoken” and everyone replies, “Ho!”
Learn More: The Linking Network
9. String of Names
For this icebreaker, you’ll need several yards of string. Have your students position themselves in a circle and then give the spool to one student. Ask them to hold the end and then pass it to a student across from them. The second student must say the name of the first student and then pass it to a third student. Repeat until everyone has had a turn and watch as connective web forms.
Learn More: Snack Nation
10. “I’m a _______!”
Time for a little improv. Positioned in a circle, have one student from the class step into the center and say, “I’m a __” and then act out whatever they’ve named. Then, another student enters the circle and acts as something similar. Once everyone knows what they are, pick 2 students to craft a scene using the rest of the learners as characters or objects.
Learn More: Improve Encyclopedia
11. Human Knot
Get your learners to form a circle and join hands with someone at random. Essentially, they’ll need to tangle themselves up to form a human knot. Once everyone’s linked, see how quickly your learners can untangle themselves to get back to a simple circle.
Learn More: Ice Breaker Ideas
12. “I’m Going to Bring…”
Challenge the memory and get your learners giggling with this fun activity! Start by saying, “I’m going for a picnic and I’m going to bring __ (insert a food item that begins with the letter A).” Then, your learners can follow suit by repeating the items listed and adding their own that begins with a consecutive letter of the alphabet.
Learn More: Howcast
Outdoor Icebreakers
13. Circle Sitting Down
This icebreaker activity is perfect for the great outdoors because it requires a lot of space. Have your students stand in a circle and then turn sideways so that each student’s chest faces the back of the person to their right. Once they’re close enough, have them sit down on the lap of the person behind them. If everyone does it at the same time, the group should form a perfect circle on the floor.
Learn More: YouTube
14. Make a Map
For this quick activity, describe a few places on the school campus or in the town and assign these areas to sectors in the classroom. Have your students then position themselves in the sector that they most enjoy.
Learn More: Venture Team Building
15. Nature Scavenger Hunt
It’s likely that taking your learners outside in their first lesson with you, will both confuse and excite them. Engage them in a scavenger hunt to break the ice by directing them to find specific things throughout the school grounds. Make your clues as specific or as general as you like!
Learn More: Pinterest
16. The Curtain Game
Divide your students into two teams and have them sit on either side of a blanket held up by two people. For each round, each team will send one person to the curtain. Then, the curtain will drop, and the two students must shout out one another’s names. The first person to shout the correct name wins, and the other person then joins their team. The team that manages to get the most people to their side first, is crowned victorious.
Learn More: Ice Breakers
High-Energy Icebreakers
17. Human Machine
An effective machine is one that has all parts working together. Replicate this by bringing your students together to act as a machine. Think of an action, and explain that all together your students must perform this task.
Learn More: YouTube
18. Stay Serious!
Let’s see who can keep a straight face! Get your students to pair up, stand back-to-back, and then jump around to face one other. The first one to smile or laugh is out! Continue until you have 1 player left.
Learn More: Trainer Bubble
19. Simon Says
This classic game is also fun for high school students. It’s the perfect choice for getting them used to following instructions not given by the teacher. Play by assigning the role of Simon to one of your learners and having them direct the rest of the class by dictating actions that they can perform.
Learn More: YouTube
20. Drum Circle
This is an excellent icebreaker for music class! Get one student to start a simple beat. They can clap, tap a pencil, or even snap their fingers. One by one, ask your learners to add to the rhythm by making their own unique sounds.
Learn More: Small World Experience
Trust Building Ice Breakers
21. Two Truths and a Lie
Ready for an exhilarating guessing game? Two Truths and a Lie is just that! Get each of your students to stir up intrigue by revealing three facts about themselves: two being genuine and one being false. The challenge? For the rest of the class to detect the fib! As they analyze each other’s statements, they’ll learn more about each other and build a sense of camaraderie.
Learn More: Venture Team Building
22. Post-it Note Personals
Transform one of your classroom walls into a colorful canvas of personal trivia. That’s what “Post-it Note Personals” offers. Your students can each write a captivating snippet about themselves and post it on the board. The guessing game that ensues thereafter promotes interaction, creating an atmosphere of discovery as your class makes guesses as to which Post-it belongs to which of their peers.
Learn More: Amazon
23. Common Ground
Huddle up! In this ice breaker, get your students to huddle in small groups- digging deep to unearth something they all have in common. Not only does this exercise reveal unexpected commonalities, but it also fosters a sense of belonging by creating safe spaces in which your students can get to know one another.
Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers
24. The Trust Walk
Picture this: a blindfolded student being led around the schoolyard or classroom, guided only by the voice of their classmate. “The Trust Walk” is a high-stakes exercise in trust and verbal communication that’s sure to strengthen the bonds between your students and get them better acquainted with one another.
Learn More: Bible Games Central
25. Building Bridges
Ever dreamt of being an architect? In “Building Bridges,” your students can be just that! Equipped with straws, tape, and cardboard, the task is to create a sturdy bridge. Not only does this task spark creativity and problem-solving, but it also teaches them about the power of collaboration.
Learn More: Deceptively Educational
26. Group Story
Enter a realm of mystery and imagination with “Group Story.” Here, each participant must contribute a line to an evolving tale- hearing only the preceding sentence. This exercise tests their listening skills and narrative abilities by getting them to spin a web of collective creativity.
Learn More: Exceptional Innovations
27. Identity Circles
Time for some self-reflection! “Identity Circles” offers your students the chance to share a unique aspect about themselves. This gives them a platform to understand and appreciate their differences and fosters a warm sense of community and belonging.
Learn More: EME Methods
28. Classroom Quilt
What if your class created a symbolic masterpiece? If this appeals to you, get each of your students to design a square that portrays their unique identity. The final product? A beautiful paper quilt symbolizes the unity in diversity that exists in your class.
Learn More: Research Gate
29. Ball Toss
Game on! Toss a ball to a student and ask them to share something about themselves. The room is bound to buzz with energy and connection as the ball is tossed from person to person.
Learn More: Playworks
Brain Teasers & Puzzle Icebreakers
30. The Tallest Tower
Welcome to the grand engineering challenge! This challenge requires your students to build the highest tower possible using only marshmallows and toothpicks. Everyone will need to work together to ensure the success of the final product.
Learn More: Womple Studios
31. The Shrinking Vessel
“Survival of the fittest” takes on a fun twist in this activity. Get your pupils to huddle together as they imagine a rapidly shrinking space- learning to adapt and strategize as a team.
Learn More: YouTube
32. Can You Follow Directions?
This activity is a true test of patience and precision. Your learners will need to work together as they engage with a series of intricate instructions to complete a task. Who will emerge victorious? The fastest or the most accurate? Pair your learners up and conduct the activity to find out!
Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers
33. Word Association
Break the ice in your English class with a word association game. Starting with an education-related word, get everyone to contribute one word that links to the previous person’s word. The connections made are as surprising as they are insightful!
Learn More: Mentimeter
34. Classroom Trivia
Who doesn’t love a bit of friendly competition from time to time? By hosting a trivia session, you can get your learners to collaborate in teams whilst stimulating their knowledge reserves in new ways!
Learn More: Pinterest
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